[image description: a handful of antique red and gold books with titles in French.]

Ever since I started selling vintage books on Etsy about a year and a half ago, I’ve found so much joy in watching people find rare, out of print, first edition, and signed books they love. But even better than that is watching folks find unique books for people they love as gifts.

The most memorable ones are the high school senior who was graduating and going to college to major in history buying a rare book by Calvin Coolidge for her favorite history teacher who had a particular fondness for the late president, and the woman who found a rare biography of Frank Sinatra as a birthday present for her brother who loves Sinatra.

Not to sound silly, but I actually didn’t foresee this. Of course, I’m delighted, though I have to admit it doesn’t often occur to me to give gifts that aren’t brand new––which is odd considering that I love vintage stuff and I try to be environmentally conscious. I guess I’m always afraid the person I’m giving the gift to will think I’m tacky.

However, running Posh&Page is proving me wrong. Judging by the number of gift messages I see on orders, people LOVE vintage and antique books! Here’s why I think that is:

1) They’re unique.

Even though scouting for old books is my job, I so rarely see two that are the same. If you want to get someone an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind gift, cool old books seem like the way to go.

2) You can find signed books by dead authors.

Signed books by living authors are pretty easy to come by, but when a beloved author dies, all bets are off. And the longer they’ve been dead, the harder their signed books are to find. So when one pops up on the market, snatch it! There probably aren’t too many of them around.

3) You can find first editions of beloved favorites.

The longer a book has been out, the harder it is to find a first edition copy. And contrary to popular belief, not all first editions are expensive. It just depends on how rare the first edition is (how many the publisher printed) and how in-demand the title is. If you know someone’s favorite author, it can’t hurt to look and see what first editions are out there. You just never know!

4) They’re really pretty.

Is there anything cooler than a retro book design or a leatherbound cover or a book title in gold leaf? Some vintage and antique books not only make great reads, they double as gorgeous display pieces too. Their shelves and coffee tables will never look better.

5) They can appreciate in value.

New books tend to go down in value in the immediate years after purchase, though some vintage and antique books appreciate in value over time. Just imagine your gift recipient being able to take an old book you gave them on Antique’s Roadshow one day!

6) The recipient is going to know you had to spend time hunting down this treasure.

There are plenty of places to find old books, but finding the one you want when you want it is the challenge. Since it’s unlikely you’d be able to walk into just any bookstore and find the perfect gift, the person you’re giving the book to is going to know you had to spend some time hunting it down. That extra effort is going to make them feel really special and make you look good.

There you have it! Six reasons why old books make great gifts. I hope this makes your holiday shopping a little easier and more fun. And if I can help, I’d be thrilled!